triumphgal

September 4, 2022

I was up and met my guest this morning. She was very nice and appreciated her stay. Once I had confirmed the income from the day before and readied the float and myself, I headed to pick up ice at Arbys and made my way to the park. It turned out to be a very hot and heavy day. The crowds were smaller than usual even with the Saturday market but there were many families and a generally great atmosphere.

The first performer of the day was Matt Blais. I really enjoyed him as I love singer songwriters. The guys were whining that he should have talked less and sung more but I do disagree. He was a fabulous kickoff to the day.

Next was Brass Roots, a collection of 12 Professional Musicians from the East Kootenays conducted by Evan Bueckert. They drew their own following and were well received. Several of them, including Randy Marchi, took the time to tell me how well I was doing as emcee and they really appreciated my enthusiasm. It was a nice thread running through the day as I was told I have a real presence doing this. I’m glad. I hope I get more opportunity.

The next performer was one I was really looking forward to, Tennyson King. He is a Chinese Canadian bass player who had a keyboard player with him. I was not disappointed. He had a voice like butter and although I didn’t always love the heaviness of the bass beating against my chest on two songs, overall I was impressed and even bought one of his tank tops with his picture on it.

Next was Jon Burden and the Bleedin’ Hearts. They were a whole lot of fun and just as they were nearing the end of their set I saw the bass player trying to get my attention. His little girl was with him and he was motioning to see if I could take her to the loo. She was very sweet and I was happy to help the poor child. I shall always remember little Hazel and her sweet spirit.

Next up was Split/Shift. Although they got people up dancing, I was not entirely impressed with their attitudes and they brought beer out of the beer garden. One of the guys was highly unimpressed that he couldn’t drink his draft on stage… argh.

Black Diamond played next and it was a bit of a cluster as they insisted on using their own drum kit, had hired a film crew and well, just took up too much time so they started late and we are not too sure they were pleased that their time had to end as scheduled. We only allow 30 minutes between acts to allow for change overs and sound checks. It would have been more professional to stick with the contract we had and that is all I can say about that.

The final act of the night was Punch Drunk Cabaret. I loved them and had been looking forward to this group. They came down from Edmonton today and were road worn but gave us an amazing performance with a whole lot of style. I highly suggest checking them out online. They were also just really nice guys and I hope to see them again.

In between all the acts I talked up all things fest and sponsors, urged people to eat from our food trucks, introduced the demos from Rocky Mountain Martial Arts again and loved seeing people come donate to Josh and take pictures with him. I hope he does well in Wales next month.

I was glad I wore my favourite music patterned dress and wedge sandals. I felt pretty and confident and had my performer tank filled. As the ‘face’ I also got a lot of positive feedback for all we had accomplished there, a few complaints, found items and the occasional report of trouble. I couldn’t believe I was seeing three women walking into the middle of it all drinking Bud Lights. I do think they’d already had a few too many by that point. It was great to work with my fellow Board members and out volunteers to make something like this come together. Although the crowd was smaller for most of the day, as evening approached more and more came and I figure there were 5-600 at the peak of it. I was intrigued by how many older people also stayed to the end.

The music ended around 10:30 much to the chagrine of those still there and by that point I had changed into my flats, shorts and a tee to help with tear down. Jesse came to help and he was a great assist on the stage while I helped with other things. I had to wait so he and I could deliver the tents back to the GroundFloor. I was glad we had those sturdy tents as the wind had kicked up fierce at one point causing a bit of chaos for the other tents set up round the park. By the time we dropped off and I got home it was 12:30, a very full day indeed. It was worth it and I discovered artists I want to hear more of but it will be nice to rest tomorrow and NOT talk.

September 3, 2022

Up and off to the office to run a payroll and take care of a couple clients before it was off to set up the site for Peak Music Fest 2022 at Rotary Park. My neighbour Jessie met me at the office with his truck to pick up the two fabulous tents leant to us by Community Foundation of the Kootenay Rockies.

We all spent from 11:30 on setting up the whole site. We usually only use the front half of the park for Summer Sounds but we had everything set up beautifully using the whole area this time. At the back in the shade was our food truck vendor site with a bunch of picnic tables, one large area was used for Cranbrook Arts Council who had wood stacking chairs that had our logo on the backs and then people could donate and paint a chair to take home. Kya Dubois who designed our poster this year had a booth where she demonstrated her talent continuing to work on a painting she has been doing at our events all summer. The beer garden was in a new location allowing more people to see everything and opened up the shade under the big trees for more viewers who bring their lawn chairs and blankets. Key City Theatre was there to share their upcoming season as well.

Once I was done helping with set up I went to have something to eat and then stopped at home to change my shirt and get ready to Emcee the event.

The opening act was the Ka Kin Nana Drum Group, consisting of young cousins from our local First Nation, they were a fabulous start to the Festival. They taught me how to say their name correctly and put on a lovely show of the traditional drumming of their ancestors. It was very well received.

Next up was Doggone Brothers, a duo of Michael Hepher and Clayton Parsons. They were so much fun, guitar and banjo, old school uplifting music from these young men.

Alderbash was next, they got people out of their seats and moving to the music. It was so much fun to see all the young families out and so many kids dancing.

Garuda was very unusual, with their Indian style Sitar music and curious instruments. It was interesting to hear Ferdy playing something unique like this.

The night was wrapped up by Leather Apron Revival who brought their rock and roll to the stage leaving everyone feeling good.

In between acts, Rocky Mountain Martial Arts put on demonstrations that drew the crowd in. Josh Sutherland is a 16 year old from Cranbrook heading to the world kickboxing competition in Wales next month and the crowd loved him. I was so proud of Guru Joel and the crew and am so happy they agreed when I suggested they do this.

Another special booth was Ankors who are a local group specializing in harm reduction. They offered drug testing and Naloxone training. So great to have a safety program and to have them there to help take away the stigma.

I have to say, I had a fabulous day. I am exhausted and couldn’t seem to drink enough water. The smoke really rolled in and my lips were burning even though I drank Litres of water. The feedback was overwhelming. Seems I do pretty great as an emcee and being that person, I also had tourists and locals alike come up to tell be how much they were enjoying it all. I am proud of our little group of volunteers for putting this on.

At the end of the night, my friend Bear came with his friend Mike to be our paid overnight security. I was stunned to hear about the changes in Bear’s life. He is in his early 30s, has 5 kids with another one due any time and in July with no notice, his older brother died and he has custody of his 5 kids as well! That is a lot to take on. Apparently his bother had cancer but didn’t tell the family. I can’t even imagine going from 5 kids to 11 in a matter of months. He is making a plan to buy a property out of town and build to fit them all. It makes me glad I thought to reach out to offer him the job for tonight. If anyone needed a Go Fund Me, it’s him.

I have an Airbnb guest tonight and I just left the door open and the lights on, texted her to make herself at home and let her be. She has kept me in the loop and seems to have been fine. I missed seeing her tonight and am not sure I will in the morning which will be a first for me. She seems to have been comfortable with it all though.

The grandsons all showed up showed up down there tonight as well. Will was first and took great pride in being the Water Boy, emptying two full bottles as he went around with the cart. Sawyer and Lukas also showed up and then Gene, with many hugs to share. Later Gene and Lukas brought down their newest home stay student who arrived tonight as well. It was so great to see them all.

Must sleep, tomorrow is going to be very full! 7 acts!!!

September 1, 2022

It is getting late and I should get some sleep. Today was a lot, jumping from one thing to another with all the things work, volunteer and family in the next couple weeks. I confess to escaping in my brain several times wandering down the rabbit hole of should I sell and vagabond or sort and store only. Once I have made it to the middle of the month I will begin to simplify and make lists. Pros and cons of all the options are in order. There was much to do to take tomorrow off for Peak Fest. I am glad it is a long weekend as I will need a couple days after this. I was thrilled to have friends drop off a perfect Solomon Jacket for me to take to Luis. The Philips are so giving and I appreciate them. It fit well and Luis said it was warm. It is a cross country ski jacket so light weight and warm, perfect for Fall and Winter. It was very hot again today. It will be a challenge for the festival but at least it cools down at night. When I got home, I made up the tent trailer as Cindy is arriving some time tomorrow. Then I made a sticky rice bowl that was good but not the healthiest for me. I do love rice, but not brown rice. For the second time in as many weeks we got a hug in the paper for putting on the music in a park. That is lovely feedback. Off to bed now as I have to run payroll again in the morning and then, On With the Show!

August 31, 2022

I thought today was a bonus day but it ended up very full after all. There were definitely highlights. I like when Maureen and I are on the same page and moving mountains. There was a lot of cross communication with others today but we filled each other in on what needed to be done. I am focusing on what is mine to do and being prepared for surprises. Expect the unexpected as the Big Brother saying goes. I was able to get a few more side projects done and my billing for the month which is a relief as I need to pay for the dentist tomorrow. I don’t like owing for things like that. I also took time to make my work spreadsheet for September. It is always one of my favourite months. I am careful with the work load of August so I have more time available in September. It is typically when I get to take vacation but won’t this year. I still plan to go to my Grad Reunion in October and I am trying to get more on top of my own finances before I leave the company. I want to be able to have less workload if I can or if clients don’t choose to stay with me.

I checked my calendar this morning and remembered I had booked time to meet with Amanda, a friend who works at WorkBC and a woman who is here from the Ukraine. She was an accountant there but needs to know how to get back into the industry here, how to learn the software and whether she would rather be a bookkeeper. They brought along an interpreter as her English is minimal but apparently improving quickly. She has a quick mind. We spent nearly an hour as they asked me lots of questions and by the end of it I was happy to offer mentorship and potential paid work/training. She did get a job right away when she got here and has a young daughter at home so is very interested in the part time and possible work from home aspect of it all. Good bookkeepers are highly in demand and I am sure I could train her to be one, especially since she already has a head for numbers. They all were thrilled at the offer and I have great clients that I could have her work on and likely hand over as they are more paper oriented and won’t work well for me when I am on the road. It is also possible that the Board for one of my clients won’t like the idea of a bookkeeper in the UK and if I train her on their books it would be a good transition. She is the first person I would consider doing this for and I hope she would make the perfect person to transition my clients to when I am ready to be done with it all.

What a surprising end to the day that was! It also makes my heart happy to help immigrants, especially ones who are escaping war torn areas. It was lovely to sit and listen to her and the interpreter speak their native language.

August 30, 2022

The day started out taking Rae-Anne for her birthday gift to New Energy Wellness Spa for fancy pedicures where we were able to have a good visit. I told her what is brewing for my future and honestly, to my surprise, she fully supports it and thinks I am at the perfect time in my life to do it….

We brainstormed some options that sound very doable.

Back at the office I finished off the file I was stressed about and filed three annual quarters of GST refunds. I hope that pleases them.

Next was off to Signal Collision to have the appraiser put together a quote for ICBC in order to get my car fixed. She feels strongly that it won’t be the 4 month wait most people are having as it is repair without new parts. New vehicles are taking forever if they need parts right now. I shall be patient and hope it will be done for me to drive to my high school reunion in October at the coast.

Back to the office to finish a couple payroll in advance of tomorrow, wrote out all the cheques for Peak Music Fest this weekend and make lists for going forward.

Came home and made a nice dinner, although it had spice and onions that don’t agree with me. I may suffer but it was worth it.

I heard from one of my first best friends tonight that she and her husband are coming to the area for a couple weeks in September. I can’t wait to catch up with Deb and meet her Dave. At least I don’t think I have ever met him, lol. I have known her since kindergarten or earlier. Amazing, over 50 years!

I called my Mom to let her know what I am thinking of doing. She was shocked but agreed it would be great for me. So here I am going to tell you my two year plan for a two year plan… I found out that as a Canadian citizen I can go to the UK for up to 2 years. Originally I thought it was only 6 months. Now I know I can make an unstressed move. I can find someone to ‘housesit’ for 2 years and after that decide where I want to be, back here or someplace else wonderful that I discover. Southern England is so central to European and British Isles travels. I plan to start sorting, selling off and getting ready. Stop spending, get my debts paid off and make a move. It’s never too late to make a big change and I am so comfortable now to be by myself and take more risks. I have good friends and family over there so I will only be as alone as I care to be. I just need to have good wifi so I can work, a simple furnished place near transit and my passport. UK 2024 is looking like the plan. Look out world, I’m coming!

August 29, 2022

I forgot to set my alarm in the midst of dealing with my guests last night but was grateful they made noise as I was coming awake at 7:45. I had a nice visit as we were all getting ready to get on with our day and then we all headed our own way. They asked if they could have my phone number in case they ran into any trouble and of course I said yes. They had not had the ultimate experience in the US and I wanted their Canadian time to go smoothly.

The day was FULL. Much to do getting ready for PeakFest this coming weekend and The Bud Abbott celebration the following. I am the emcee and Director/ site help for the first and then Stage manager/emcee for the latter. There are many balls in the air at the moment but I rely on the knowledge that it will all be over soon.

When I arrived at the office there were 3 bucks in the backyard/garden of the house behind. Unusual to see so many together. One had a wounded antler and that was gross.

I spent as much time as I had on the last file I need to get done for the month and left work around 9. Came home to have a bevie with the neighbour and had to get between a Doe and her two fawns as the babes had gotten into my yard. I was able to scare them out and send them on their way. They are a real nuisance right now and it may be time for a cull again.

I am really looking forward to the weekend and just hope it all comes together as most festivals do. The point will be to make sure the audience and performers don’t know the chaos that leads up to it all. It is the norm but we also know the areas we need to improve if we are to do this again and will have to discuss it all at the Board level.

Now, I shall try to wind down and get some sleep as tomorrow is also a busy one. Good night!

August 28, 2022

Today I set an alarm also as not to miss a fabulous 2 hour FaceTime with the Besties in England. It was so great to hear their voices and see their moving faces. We talked about possible adventures and dreamt of possibilities. I can’t wait to see them again.

After that I spent time getting set up for the next guests. I wasn’t entirely sure if they understood that the daughter would need to stay indoors as there was only room for two in the tent trailer. They had said they were showing up late and leaving early but there was no other info. It was just before 9 when Gerhard, Nicole and Johanna arrived. They were extremely considerate but also just made themselves at home. I let them do laundry and make some food while we chatted. I helped them make bookings for their camping in Banff, Jasper and Yoho. G was really excited to head to Rearguard Falls as well. He had seen a documentary about the salmon run and really wants to go there. It is a bit early but I hope they see something. I also found out university is free in Germany and that they are horrified by the food and entry prices in the US so far.

I spent the afternoon on Roadtripper making tentative plans for a cross the country trip next year. It is something exciting to look forward to! A lovely relaxing day, I finished watching The Letdown and started Sisters while I was on the computer. I did get outside for a bit, taking care of the yard but never left the property which was also nice.

August 27, 2022

I was up and at it, getting chores done, so I could be ready for my guest and be ready for the day ahead. The sky broke open and poured buckets. I decided to have some fun and threw out the water soluble Hello Fresh packaging. It really dissolved, kudos to the rain! It did beat down my Hollyhocks though and I had to cut a bunch of them off.

The first event of the day was lunch with Christi and Erin and the Fenwick and Baker. We had a two hour visit which filled my love tank. These women are so easy to be with and I just love them. We had a good time and managed not to gossip, just to share our stories and have a good meal and good conversations.

As we were settling up my guest messaged that she was at my place so I came back to meet her and check her in. Jo-Anne is heading from Calgary to the Ashram in Crawford. If animals rally know, she is as good of a person as she comes across. Missy, who doesn’t go near anyone rubbed around her legs within 5 minutes!

Next stop was the park to drop off the money and then head to Bill’s retirement party. I was so happy to see the faces there and catch up with someone who I was once very close to. I lost Patti in the divorce so it has been decades since I’ve had a chance to talk with her. We spent a great deal of time filling in the gist of her life. I was so glad to catch up and see her daughter’s art. I think Bill liked the gift I gave him.

I headed down to Rotary Park next, in time to do the announcements with Maureen. It was especially fun tonight. I arrived in time to hear Dave Prinn and his daughter Drew play my favourite song, U2 I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For. After our announcements the Voodoo Rhythm Kings played the night away. They had everyone up dancing and I hung in the beer garden with Kory, my nephew who was pleasantly surprised he enjoyed the band. he was impressed that our last PeakFest we had 5 Alarm Funk play. I think he was expecting mediocre as he enjoys the Calgary music scene. Ashlée, Rae and Roger showed up to join us for a beer and then my neighbour Tracey showed up with her friends Cheryl and Lorene. It was a lovely evening and nice to have a bit of a break.

What a full and wonderful day!!

It is odd to ponder that the man I was first married to at only 19 (he was 26) is now retired. So strange to think what my life would be like if we had stayed together. I truly believe things are exactly the way they should be. We have all led the lives that allowed us to thrive. He and Deanne have been together 32 years or so now and I am very happy for them. I am also happy for all of us that we have become good friends over time.

August 26, 2022

It was a 9 hour work day but I enjoyed it so much! I was alone in my end of the building just listening to the Smartless podcast and getting data entered. I started the day by picking up coffee and donuts for two others in the space and then set myself to the task at hand. I received a lovely message from the man staying in my space to thank me, that he had left me a small gift and that I was an angel. A far cry from the previous interactions on Airbnb! I took time to run out and find a gift for Bill. He was my first husband, the father of my two daughters and it is his retirement party tomorrow. I wanted to find something meaningful and that he would like but not offend his wife in any way. I went to a wonderful little artists market and found the perfect thing. I will post a picture tomorrow night after the party. I got home as it was getting dark as there are thunder clouds and lightening in the distance. I had planned to change out for tomorrow’s guest but ended up sitting on my neighbour’s deck enjoying a bottle of wine and a good visit. All in all a lovely day!

August 25, 2022

Today was better. I set my alarm an hour later, skipped the treadmill and got ready for work. I felt sad for Luis who had had a very bad travel experience. He left home in Mexico Tuesday, had a long layover in Vancouver with a card that wouldn’t work and then found himself here late at night without proper internet access to reach out to me. I was glad when just after 1:30 am, his cab pulled up. I gave him the 5 cent tour and headed to bed. When I got up this morning I was feeling bad for him as he may not have eaten, so I through together a banana, a couple of apples and a Gatorade and left home a note to reach out if he needed anything.

The day went pretty great although I only worked on one file on the phone with the client for 5 hours. Thank goodness for a headset but I wished I had eaten lunch first! She is so sweet and I love her business so it is a pleasure for me, although I must get on with the two I need to finish asap. I forget now why I went looking but I was on 23andme to review my DNA when it struck me that I am .3% Ashkenazi Jewish. I think I always have thought of Jewish as a religion, a belief, not something in one’s DNA. Of course this sent me down the Google rabbit hole. It is interesting to look up. It really all ties to the German or Polish Ukrainian side of my family. The German is my paternal grandmother, the other, my Maternal. I would love more people in my family to do their DNA tests so we could compare blood lines. I am also 1.1% Native American which is a bit baffling. If all my family basically comes from Europe, then where does that come in?? I shall continue to monitor and see. When I was done the 5 hour call, I checked my email, responded to texts, etc and checked out for the day.

I had a quick visit with Luis and headed for my martial arts class. The only thing I hate about it is my very dirty feet when I am done, I wish the mats were cleaner. It is funny to see the other women not wanting to spar with me as they see me as a worthy opponent. Being that they are all younger than I am, some by many decades.. I am ok with that. Turns out I have a mean left hook and a strong roundhouse kick. The Guru thinks I used to be a kickboxer. Strangely, it is something I always wanted to do but didn’t know women could.. another sad product of my generation.

When I got home I sat outside and had a real visit with Luis. He is 29, here to take the final courses in Kinesiology and Biology for a semester. His English is very good and we had a good long talk. I was sad to hear that yesterday was his worst day ever. He left Tuesday from home, spent a full layover day in Vancouver and arrived here in the wee hours of Thursday. While in Vancouver, his carryon bag was stolen from a van and it held his 3 winter jackets. What a sad start to his first visit to Canada. I think I have restored his faith in Canadians though as I took him to pick up Subway for dinner, drove him around to show him town and then reached out to my daughter to see if she had any extra jackets as her students often leave some behind. he asked me how much and when I said nothing I think he almost cried. It has been very stressful for him as on top of everything his credit card won’t work here. His mom is working on that problem.

So, all in all, today was a much better day. Yesterday was a blip.

August 24, 2022

Today was seriously a day of reverse Oprahness. I spent the day thinking You Take That Back, and You Take That Back and You Take That Back! Earlier this week the president of one of the boards I am on had to call me to address the fact that volunteers on Saturday night said negative things about me. I tried not to be defensive but I honestly couldn’t remember anything I had said or done that warranted this. This morning I went to see one of the women who had complained and calmly asked if I had done something to offend her. She said I told her she shouldn’t have tie-dyed her volunteer shirt and that they had screwed up the fencing placement and I had to get someone else to help me fix it. I replied that I hadn’t said either of those things and her immediate response was “well you didn’t use those words but that’s how we took it”. Honestly I was stunned. I was able to talk through it with her and I think the truth was understood. I did apologize if her feelings were hurt and I believe we are good going forward. I find it horrifying though how quickly someone can put words in your mouth. The thing is, I know when I am edging on or full on bitch mode and I know for a fact that I own my shit when that happens. It is disappointing that someone needed to spread this story without talking to me. To be clear I said that I liked her shirt but maybe she should have asked as it is our uniform. She laughed and said to her husband, see, I told you I probably should have asked. I think it is beautiful and would love them all to be that way but the moment has passed. I shouldn’t have said anything at all. I did explain to her today that I am used to telling the crew at VIMF not to modify their shirts as people were cutting them up etc and it didn’t look very professional. It was instinctual. As to the other issue, I had started with ‘I really dropped the ball as site director tonight by not noticing how the fence was placed and didn’t want to bother you so I just got other help and fixed the gap” They asked me to show them the change for next week and I thought we were fine. Sigh. I was asked by the pres to be careful how I deal with volunteers and reminded him I am also a volunteer and just trying to do my best on a very busy night. I will be more careful going forward. I don’t want to be the reason we lose our great volunteer crew.

I still think that a large part of my problem is my spectrum like inability to play social games. I say something and it is all I mean. If I meant something else or more, I would say that, or not say anything at all. There is a reason I often don’t play well with others…

I was able to finally get access to CRA for the society though and it has been a long time coming. I spent 49 minutes talking to an agent. After 40 of them he finally said once again, you have to have the owner call in and I said, I am the owner! He didn’t understand about societies. He finally looked up the account to discover that as a Director I am on the system and authorized. I can’t believe it has taken well over a year of trying on the phone, by mail, and online but it is now solved and I can file the necessary returns so they will release our GST rebates. Every bit helps for a non-profit. Time well spent in the end. It was hard not to get mad at the agent though as I tried to give him the Business Number right off the bat to see what he could do. Ah well, probably new, like many employees out there, just following the script.

I got some tough files off my desk, two to finish before month’s end, yay.

I came home and made a delicious dinner which was interrupted by an unhappy Airbnb potential guest. She had reached out last night asking to stay Friday and Saturday night but not leave until 8 pm on Sunday. I told her I had a guest Sunday night so would need 11 am check out to do housekeeping. I pre-approved her which allows time for her to respond but doesn’t prevent me from taking other bookings. Some time after 3 today I got a request from a lady for Saturday night. I checked the other request and it said not possible so I figured she declined. I accepted the new booking. 3 hours later I got a message from the 1st person saying they tried to book and couldn’t. I explained what had happened, apologized profusely and offered her still to stay Friday night if she wanted. Things quickly escalated as she wanted me to cancel on the other person. I told her I couldn’t as I would risk losing my superhost status and potential fines. She then asked about next weekend as she wanted to come from Calgary to meet her boyfriend from the States. I told her I had someone Friday night but with the long weekend she could have Saturday and Sunday night. It would not be best for me as it is PeakFest but I did feel bad that it had happened this way. Then she threatened me so I immediately called the superhost helpline and they were able to see the whole conversation and tell me how to block her. I am loathe to take any more bookings as they could request under his name or a friends. I do not want them here.

The up side was a lovely message from the family that was here this past weekend. He said everything was perfect and the only thing missing was a Triumph parked out front. So true.

Tracey borrowed my lawnmower and when she brought it back, she noticed two wasp nests which I had to deal with immediately!

And now I am sitting watching my shows as I await a college student arriving from Mexico. He needed a place for two nights until he can get into his accommodation. Unfortunately his flight arrives after midnight but his is the type of thing I like to be here for. I will just have to sleep fast after getting him checked in.

I received a surprise gift from Quickbooks in the mail! I think it was for recertifying with them and having so many clients on their software. Nice touch!

Fuck me… sorry for the language. It’s 1:15 am and guest didn’t have full address apparently so taxi left him at Tim Hortons. He didn’t message me, I finally asked when he would be here. This day is karmicly bad

August 23, 2022

I received an email first thing this morning from Thule that confirmed my thoughts. It was not the correct one for my year and model. I went to the dealership by 9 am and waited to talk to management. I was happy to be told it would be taken care of, that they will reach out to Hyundai Canada to get the correct one. There was lip service to paying my deductible. I am pretty adamant about that. I was told it would take some time to solve as they had never had a claim for accessories before and had to find out what to do. I do know that they will pay.. or else, lol. Thule also offered me a 50% discount on anything they sell which was very awesome of them. I came home and got the rack and rails and dropped them off to them and then finally headed to the office. Most of the day was spent on Society work. I did manage to get a couple billable hours in but cleared more off my list which was good. I love my new mouse. It didn’t take long to figure it out and it was much easier on my hand.

I came home to make and have some dinner before heading to my last official Board meeting for Cranbrook Community Theatre. The next time I meet with them will be the AGM in September. There I will be available to answer any questions about the Treasurer report and pass the torch. I am going to be doing the books for the next year at least but will not be on the Board. The meeting went well, everyone was calm and much was dealt with.

I am getting so many requests to stay at the Airbnb that I am having to be very careful that I can manage it. The next three weeks I have a great deal on my plate but they are mostly things I will really enjoy as long as I am prepared. Tomorrow night’s guest won’t arrive until after midnight at the airport so I am not sure what time he will actually arrive. I told him to knock loud as I may have fallen asleep. I forgot to change the number of guests back to 2 after the family who brought their own tents were here so I had a request from a German typing person for 3. I explained one of them would have to sleep in the messy den and they still booked so I hope nothing was lost in translation. There was another request for Friday at 8 until Sunday at the same time but that is when the German family is checking in so I said yes but I would need them to check out earlier so I could do laundry and remake everything. I used to book a day off in between, should have kept that practice. Being that this is likely my last year though, I am taking all the bookings. I enjoyed following Tom Shypitka as he did live posts on his journey to Atlin. He was there to hear what the people had to say at a town hall meeting and see if he can get permits to placer mine sped up to save this amazing community. I have a good friend who lives there and have visited for work. It is a gorgeous piece of living history. Shane said he went up to Tom and told him his friend Marnée said he is a good guy. I will have to have a chat with Tom when he returns.

Missy was waiting for me when I got home. I forgot to turn off my flash so she turned into my newest night light in the yard.

August 22, 2022

Today was complicated. I was up at 7 after a tumultuous sleep. It was a line up into the bathroom but I got on the treadmill and kept busy so the guests could have their time. Each of the family members was so sweet to me before I left for work ensuring I knew how much they liked staying here and thanking me. The Dad even offered me an unopened container of cottage cheese with a lovely smile. Good think it is one of my faves.

I was very tired and had trouble reconciling one of my societies books against the spreadsheet provided online. It took a long time but was important to me to get done. I ran off around noon for my 12:15 nail appointment and enjoyed chatting with Minh as usual. I didn’t know his story until today. He was born in a refugee camp in Hong Kong and grew up in Toronto. He met Ty, his wife when he was visiting Vietnam and was introduced by a friend. What a life they have created here in Cranbrook, with their own business, Desirable Nails and a beautiful family. I love my nails.

I worked again on volunteer things for the afternoon and then processed a payroll before leaving. I was very frustrated by my mouse which was scrolling continuously and wouldn’t let me click on things. My intention was to go to Staples and get a new mouse but I auto piloted home. I stripped the tent trailer, started laundry, tidied up and started making food in my jammies before I remembered I need to go get a mouse. I got dressed and headed there and found a good ergonomic one which I hope works. I stopped at the liquor store on the way home and have been sipping Howler as I watch my shows and try to kick a headache as the bedding dries.

August 21, 2022

I slept an incredible 11.5 hours, which was clearly what I needed but also threw me off my schedule. Still glad I did though. I spent a good deal of time cleaning indoors and got a lot of the pool cleaned as well. I then headed to Superstore where I picked up distilled water, some groceries and a cute dress and some shirts on sale. I also picked up some $7 towels to use poolside. It was nice to wander the aisles and when I got home I unpacked and stowed before finishing cleaning the pool. Next thing I knew it was around 7 and I started making some dinner. I had unfortunately let a bag of shrimp go past its date in the fridge and it was smelly. Shouldn’t have opened it and now will have to ensure I take out the garbage tomorrow. Tracey stopped over for a visit as I was finished cooking and we sat out for a visit in the yard. I was just plating my food when the motorcycle family returned for the night. They really are very sweet. I thought they’d done to Kaslo but they stayed in Castlegar last night and stopped for a swim at Moyie on the way back. I had nice chats with them and the son who is an officer told me there is a specific law about not paying for accommodation so he wasn’t going to let anyone get away with it. I learned a good lesson in not letting anyone stay without paying in advance. I can’t create my own drama again! Watched the second season of Feel Good. It is quirky and interesting. Now I am back to watching The Letdown which is a much more real view of parenthood than most shows.

August 21, 2022

I waited up until after 1:30 and Sheldon was still not here so I went to bed and didn’t sleep well as I was concerned that he didn’t pay his rent as he had promised on Friday. Just after 7 am I could hear the texts coming in so I checked and found he wanted my email to send me money. I got up and found his stuff was still here so I let him know it wasn’t working for me. He was supposed to leave today and I need some alone time. I am very peopled out. It turns out that the self professed good looking so staying here with the family is a cop and his Mom told me he had taken a picture of Sheldon’s license plate just in case. I wish I had known sooner as it was a relief to know they had my back. Sheldon came back and got his stuff, stayed until the payment went through and was very apologetic. I met Rae at Fenwick & Baker for breakfast and we had good food and a good visit. She took off for work and I came home with intention to have a nap but I was called by Gene that he had slept through his alarms and could I drive him to work. I did and then came home for a lay on the couch for a bit as the biking family took off for Kaslo. After doing laundry and tidying up, making good headway cleaning the pool etc, I headed to the park, stopping to get the ice from Arbys.

I was the site manager and emcee tonight. The three acts were Emma Kade, Doug Mitchell and Wally followed by Judy Brown and her band. During the sound check I noticed the guitar player for Judy looked familiar but I couldn’t place him when suddenly I realized it was Sam Hurrie, Doug Cox’s friend and a musician who is often at Vimf!! We made a connection and it was so great. I found out he lives in Riondel since Oct 2018. The band was great, the crowd was small but appreciative and in spite of several miscommunications it was a success. It only rained for a short time, but it helped to take the heavy out of the air. Gene came and played water boy which was lovely.

More lovely than all of it was coming home to an empty house. I am on the couch with a glass of wine, watching Feel Good. It is interesting so far

I thought it funny earlier today when I went past the theatre and saw that the new sod was not all put in the same direction.

August 20, 2022

I was glad to be ready ahead for the guests arriving tonight so I could be at work at a decent time. I managed to get a lot done including in person assistance with a prior client of the firm I used to work for. I always enjoy my visits with Funke. It was another scorcher of a day and it makes me sad to see my car without the rack on it. I can’t go out on the water and it looks odd without anything on top as well. I received a call from ICBC to tell me an adjuster would need to call me and could I please send pictures. I was to keep my appointment at the Body Shop but wait for final approval to go. This made me nervous. I was very grateful when the adjuster called not long after as it would have been hard to wait all weekend to find out what was up. They just wanted to decide if my rack would be covered and it will not be. It never even occurred to me that it would. I will go after the dealership/Thule once I find out where the error was. They did confirm to go ahead and get it fixed. Phew!

I came home and was making dinner when tonight’s guests arrived, an elder couple on a Spyder trike and two of their 6 kids (grown men) with one of their girlfriends. I forget the Dad’s name but not the moms as she made a point of explaining that one of the son’s names was Janson, or Jan’s Son. Clever. They turned out to be really nice people and we’ve had some great conversations. They will go to Kaslo tomorrow night and be back Sunday night. I was glad she told me not to change out the bed in between as I blocked the night from other guests. I started to drain the pool as the chlorine treatment has not solved the bloom. I will clean it tomorrow and refill it as I think Jan was disappointed it wasn’t useable.

Sheldon had not come back by midnight and he was supposed to pay me today for the week and be gone tomorrow. I am beginning to think we don’t have that same understanding. I just texted him to ask if he is back tonight and he said yes, that he is out with the guys. I do appreciate the money but not the stress of someone in my space randomly and regularly. I need to let him know it is time to move on. That or pay in advance through the site and I will let him stay long term in the tent trailer. In the meantime I wish he would get here as I want to go to bed.

I found a pair of legs in the back alley and hung them in a plant at work to see if anyone notices

August 18, 2022

Nothing else matters about today except that I have positive news about my car. I called Thule with my case number as I had not heard from them yet. I spoke with a guy who took all the details, ensured me that within two weeks I would hear from a department the deals with claims that are not specifically warranty and that I would hear sooner if my system was supposed to fit my car. I took photos and sent them along. Next I called ICBC, our provincial insurance company and started a claim. The woman who helped me was amazing and she ended by informing me that I have to pay my $500 deductible but it would all be covered as a Cargo Shift under my comprehensive coverage which does not have an impact on my rates going forward. She also said that an adjuster will be calling for more details as they will go after Thule or the dealership to recover costs. I will confirm with Thule about the model, then follow up to make the dealership pay my deductible at the least. I have an appointment on the 30th to take it to Signal Collision whom I trust in town and will get a courtesy car. This all took so much stress off me… a huge relief. Too bad my mental state didn’t give me the energy to get this good news sooner. All good moving forward though!!

I went for lunch with Stacey today at the Fenwick and Baker. It was a first for both of us and I really enjoyed the renovation of the space, the atmosphere and the food. Win-win! We had a good visit and it was nice to get out of the office for a change and taking a real lunch. Once I got back to the office, I finished all my volunteer reports and even managed to get a few client items off my list.

Tonight was MMA class but my neck is still a bit sore so I gave it a pass. I happened to text Rae just as she was taking the three younger boys disc golfing up at the college so I joined them and we had a lovely visit. I am terrible at it but have fun.

I am still confused about whether Sheldon has a plan to leave this weekend. I am finding the need to soak in a bath, wander naked and enjoy my time alone. I am going to have to put my foot down.

August 17, 2022

Too little brain power. I am finding myself low on tolerance and easily annoyed with everything. I have had little to no say in a few things for a while now and yet am expected to write reports, complete payroll, train people. I don’t want to… There was a very clear picture in my mind when I went fully self-employed, that I would choose whom I worked for and what type of work I did. Slowly, through my spot at the Co-working space, clients still from the firm and my current commitment to my volunteer responsibilities, I have found myself struggling to even take a day off. Tomorrow I am to have Emmy overnight to help Danika out and get a good visit. Unfortunately I still have Sheldon here so I will have to work around him and have her stay with me.

Still no word from Thule or Hyundai. I think I will open a claim with my insurer tomorrow so I can at the least get a quote as to how much the responsible party needs to pay and otherwise get busy moving forward. I dislike that the shine has come off my love for my new car. I have to get that back.

I was home later as I popped out for a brow wax which was a nice walk away and then returned to get all my reports done as Treasurer for the AGM and my final Board meeting. All I will have to do now is the other report I was asked to do as someone is on vacation, and draw up my contractors agreement with the Theatre Society for going forward after the AGM.

It is a real struggle to not drop the ball when I am recovering from the adrenaline rush of Sunday. It is hard to explain that being strong at the moment, mentally and physically, makes me weak for days after. It is probably why I have no tolerance for anyone else right now. To be fair I probably owe the theatre for allowing me to step down as Tech director when I had my surgery. I just need to take ownership of my time and block some off for a rest. I probably am peopled out in my home as well.

August 16, 2022

Today is the 5th anniversary of the murder of my eldest girl cousin, my dear friend, Kelly. It is hard to process that she has been gone that long already. There were so many moments I wanted to share with her along the way. Life after loss is so damn complicated.

I intended to head to the dealership this morning but had much to do at the office so went straight there instead. I did get a lot done even though my soul wasn’t really in it. I did take time to Google Thule roof rack fails and found there were very few and not in years. The load rating for my system is 165 pounds but I still don’t believe it was installed correctly or maybe it wasn’t the right one in the first place so I reached out to Thule and they have opened a case and will have someone contact me. I decided to find out more from them before approaching the dealership again. I did have the salesman tell me months after when I discovered the side of the cargo basket was scratched that it was off the bosses daughters. I can’t believe they put a used system on my shiny car and sold me it all as a special Kootenay Edition. There will be fallout. My sadness is definitely turning to anger. I shall continue my research and follow through.

I was happy to have plans to go with Tracey to see Bullet Train tonight. We have found we like the 6:20 show on cheaper Tuesday night. It was weird to come out to dusk this time already. The movie was great. Brad Pitt’s character is fabulous to watch. It was bloodier than I usually enjoy but the story lines that wove through it were excellent and I recommend it.

Odd to come home to Sheldon cooking in my kitchen. He has permission but it is still strange for me. I sure hope he follows through on paying and leaving Saturday morning as it would be nice to have my privacy back again. At least he’s a good guy.